Screwdriver

ABSTRACT

A screwdriver which when held in a substantially horizontal position is capable of engaging and holding a screw by means of a tongue adapted to engage the slot of a screw. The tongue is of a length sufficient so that it protrudes at least half way into the screw slot but which length is no greater than the depth of the screw slot. Abutting shoulders are formed adjacent the screw engaging tongue in a manner so that the screw which is engaged can be oriented at different angles with respect to the longitudinal axis of the screwdriver. A plurality of tongues having different orientations may also be provided along with other features.

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States Patent 'l'asconc 1 1 Oct. 22, 1974 1 1 SCREWDRIVER Primary Examiner-James L. Jones, Jr.

- Assistant ExaminerMark S. Bicks 76 k d., P [76] Inventor 35: 3:12; gg g Y on Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Kenyon & Kenyon Reilly l 1050 g g Carr & Chapin [22] Filed: Oct. 19, 1972 Appl. No.: 299,161

U.S. Cl. 145/50 C, 145/50 D [57] ABSTRACT A screwdriver which when held in a substantially horizontal position is capable of engaging and holding a screw by means of a tongue adapted to engage the slot of a screw. The tongue is of a length sufficient so that it protrudes at least halfway into the screw slot but which length is no greater than the depth of the screw slot. Abutting shoulders are formed adjacent the screw engaging tongue in a manner so that the screw which is engaged can be oriented at different angles with respect to the longitudinal axis of the screwdriver. A plurality of tongues having different orientations may also be provided along with other features.

3 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures SCREWDRIVER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to a screwdriver and more particularly to a multipurpose screwdriver which is adapted to engage and support a screw.

A variety of different types of screwdrivers are presently known in the art. Although different types of screwdrivers have been disclosed, the ordinary screwdriver, that is one which has a tapered tongue or bit for engaging the screw, is still the one in general use. Another type which is typically used is the Phillips head or style screwdriver. Numerous attempts have been made to provide attachments or other holding devices so that the screw may be held in a fixed relation with respect to the screwdriver while the operator is inserting the screw where desired. The advantages of holding a screw while inserting it are numerous and evident.

Included in the prior art are screwdrivers which have employed spring-like clips which in cooperation with the screwdriver tongue, expand to frictionally engage the slot of the screw and because of the tension exerted by the springs, acts to hold the screw fixed at the forward end of the screwdriver. Although such mechanism is somewhat successful, several disadvantages exist. For instance, the spring-like members frequently become disengaged from the screw, particularly when it is tilted with respect to the screwdriver. Moreover, it is difficult to manipulate the spring members into engagement with the screw slot. Also, certain dangers exist with respect to the spring-like members in that they provide sharp edges which oftentimes penetrate the hand or arm of the user.

Another type of screwdriver which acts to hold a screw is one which includes a magnet. Such a magnetic means is intended to be used with certain types of screws which because of their magnetic properties are held with respect to the screwdriver. Again, this device has met with only limited success both because of the lack of adequate magnetic holding power and also because of its limited use. In this latter respect, such magnetic means can be used only with screws made of selected materials. Suction devices employed with screwdrivers have likewise been only partially successful in holding the screw fixed with respect thereto.

By the means disclosed herein, a multipurpose screwdriver is provided which overcomes the problems of the prior art and when held in a substantially horizontal position is adapted to engage and hold a screw without any spring members and without any magnetic or suction means.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Briefly stated, the screwdriver of this invention includes an elongated shaft or rod-like member having a tongue disposed at the screw engaging end thereof. The tongue is disposed perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the rod like member and is intended to engage the slot in the head of a screw. The tongue is of a length sufficient to protrude into at least one-half of the slot depth, but which tongue length is no greater than the depth of the slot of the screw. The screwdriver is further provided with abutting shoulders at a point where the tongue joins the rod-like member so that at least one of the abutting shoulders will engage the surface head of the screw. In this manner when the screwdriver is substantially horizontally oriented, the screw is held or supported by the screwdriver and also may be disposed at an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the rod-like member. Further, the abutting shoulders act as a safety feature in that they prevent slippage and penetration of the forward tongue or blade into the hand or arm of the user.

An additional feature of the invention includes the provision of locating the shoulder on each side of the tongue at a different distance from the forward edge of the tongue. In this manner, depending upon which shoulder the head of the screw is in abutment with, the screw will either be held straight or at an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the rod-like member. Moreover, a plurality of tongues may be provided so that differently oriented screw heads may be engaged. More specifically, a tongue may be provided parallel to the longitudinal axis of the rod-like member or shaft while another tongue may be provided perpendicular to the rod-like member but rotated from the forward tongue.

Numerous advantages and features are provided by the screwdriver of this invention. In addition to those already mentioned, another feature of this invention is realized when the tongue parallel to the longitudinal axis of the rod-like member is tapered so that its free end is of a different width than the end which blends into the rod-like member. This not only enables diffen ent sizes of screws to be engaged, but also allows one to use the tongue as a cleaning device. In this respect, the tongue has been found to be most suitable for scraping out residual paint which is often found in the head of a screw.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a screwdriver which is effective in holding or supporting screws thereon without employing any springlike or magnetic or suction means.

It is another object of this invention to provide a screwdriver which is adapted to hold a screw at different angles with respect to the longitudinal axis of the screwdriver.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a screwdriver which is capable of engaging and holding a screw at its free end and which is capable of engaging differently oriented screws.

These and other objects, advantages and features of the invention will become more apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS screwdriver of this invention with the screw engaging I end oriented the same as in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged end view of the screwdriver of this invention; and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view illustrating the manner in which the forward end of the screwdriver is engaged with the screw to be fastcned.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT With reference to the drawings, the screwdriver includes a handle 11 and a rod-like member or shaft 12. At the forward or screw engaging end are illustrated a plurality of tongues. Each of these tongues is adapted to engage the slot in the head of a screw. Tongue 13 is disposed at the forward end perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the rod-like member 12 while tongue 14 is parallel to the rod-like member 12. Another tongue 15, best illustrated in FIG. 2, is disposed perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of rod-like member 12 but is rotated 90 with respect to tongue 13.

The three illustrated tongues 13, 14 and 15 facilitate usage of the screwdriver in conjunction with differently oriented screw heads. For instance, the tongue at the leading end, namely tongue 13, engages a screw in a conventional manner, namely one which has its longitudinal axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the screwdriver. However, in instances when one encounters a screw which is difficult to remove or insert, additional leverage is required. For this purpose tongues 14 and 15 are provided. Also, tongue 14 is advantagous in that it may be utilized to remove accumulated paint from screw heads prior to their removal. To aid in this paint removal operation, tongue 14 has the edge which blends into shaft 12 of a substantially lesser width than its forward or free edge. Thus, when the pointed or narrower edge is inserted into the screw head and pulled toward the operator, collected paints and material are removed from the screw head. Tongue 15 on the other hand may be used in the form of a scraping device and also to loosen wires or exert a pulling force on other objects. Moreover, it has been found that tongue 15 is of aid in lifting screws which have fallen into more or less inaccessible spaces.

Particular reference is made to FIGS. 3, 4 and 6 in describing the holding or supporting mechanism of this invention. As is illustrated best in FIG. 6, tongue 13 extends beyond abutting shoulders 16 and 17. These shoulders are located at different distances from the forward edge of the tongue 13. More specifically, shoulder 16 is a lesser distance from the leading edge of tongue 13 than is shoulder 17. As is more fully explained hereinafter, such arrangement of the abutting shoulders allows the screws being held to be angularly oriented with respect to the axis of the screwdriver.

Screw 20, is held in position when engaged with forward tongue 13. In practice it has been found that by making tongue 13 of a length such that it extends at least half way into the slot of the screw head, the screw may readily be held fixed at the end of the screwdriver. However, it is undesirable to make tongue 13 of a length greater than the slot in the screw head since the shoulders 16 and 17 will not properly function. Although it is desired to have a relatively close fit between the tongue 13 and the slot in the screwhead, it is realized that a certain amount of space exists (see FIG. 6). Recognizing this, shoulder 16 acts to prevent any downward movement of the screw 20 and causes the screw 20 to be held in line with the screwdriver which as illustrated in FIG. 4 is horizontally oriented. In other words, shoulder 16 by engaging the head of screw 20 causes the screw 20 to be held with its longitudinal axis coincident with the longitudinal axis of the screwdriver 10, the latter being held in a substantially horizontal position. However, by utilizing shoulder 17 which is disposed somewhat further away from the forward edge of tongue 13 than is shoulder 16, the screw may be held at a slight angle such as that illustrated in FIG. 3. When screw 20 has its head in engagement with the shoulder 17, one can hold the screw while the screwdriver is in a substantially horizontal position and fasten it into an item at an inclined angle or it can be fastened into an inclined surface.

In any event, the combination of the tongue 13 along with the abutting shoulders 16 and 17 allows a screw to be supported by a screwdriver held in a substantially horizontal position. Moreover, by offsetting the shoulders, the screw can be fixedly held at an inclined angle. Of course the principle of the abutting shoulders may also be incorporated to operate in conjunction with the other tongues 14 and 15.

The illustrated embodiment also includes the hole 21 which is intended to be utilized when bending wires. Also a V-shaped notch 22 may be utilized in connection with the cutting of wires. As has been illustrated, a multipurpose screwdriver has been described which provides effective supporting or holding of screws intended to be fastened. Furthermore, the screwdriver described when held in a substantially horizontal position is adapted to hold or support screws without employing any spring members, suction or magnetic means.

Although the above description is directed to a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is noted that other variations and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosures.

I claim:

1. A screwdriver adapted to engage and support a screw which comprises an elongated rod-like member, a tongue disposed at the screw engaging end of said rod-like member for engaging the slot in the head of a screw, said tongue being perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said rod-like member and being characterized in that it is of a length sufficient to protrude into at least one-half of the depth of the slot in the screw, and a pair of abutting shoulders disposed adjacent the area where said tongue is connected to said rod-like member and located at different distances from the free end of said tongue, each of said abutting shoulders being adapted to engage the head of the screw supported by said tongue so as to hold the screw at the desired angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of said rod-like member when held in a substantially horizontal position and because of being located at different distances from the free end of said tongue cause a screw in engagement therewith to have its longitudinal axis with respect to said longitudinal axis of said rodlike member at a different angle than that of a screw engaged with the other respective shoulder.

2. A screwdriver in accordance with claim 1 which further includes a plurality of additional tongues for engaging differently oriented slots in screws, at least one of said additional tongues being disposed parallel to said longitudinal axis of said rod-like member while another of said tongues is disposed perpendicular to said longitudinal axis of said rod-like member but rotated with respect to the other of said tongues disposed 3,842,875 6 perpendicular to said longitudinal axis of said rod-like the free end of said tongue being of a greater width member than the portion thereof connected to said rod-like 3. A screwdriver In accordance with claim 2 wherem said tongue disposed parallel to the axis of said rod-like member' member has the width thereof tapered, the portion at 5 

1. A screwdriver adapted to engage and support a screw which comprises an elongated rod-like member, a tongue disposed at the screw engaging end of said rod-like member for engaging the slot in the head of a screw, said tongue being perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said rod-like member and being characterized in that it is of a length sufficient to protrude into at least one-half of the depth of the slot in the screw, and a pair of abutting shoulders disposed adjacent the area where said tongue is connected to said rod-like member and located at different distances from the free end of said tongue, each of said abutting shoulders being adapted to engage the head of the screw supported by said tongue so as to hold the screw at the desired angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of said rod-like member when held in a substantially horizontal position and because of being located at different distances from the free end of said tongue cause a screw in engagement therewith to have its longitudinal axis with respect to said longitudinal axis of said rod-like member at a different angle than that of a screw engaged with the other respective shoulder.
 2. A screwdriver in accordance with claim 1 which further includes a plurality of additional tongues for engaging differently oriented slots in screws, at least one of said additional tongues being disposed parallel to said longitudinal axis of said rod-like member while another of said tongues is disposed perpendicular to said longitudinal axis of said rod-like member but rotated 90* with respect to the other of said tongues disposed perpendicular to said longitudinal axis of said rod-like member.
 3. A screwdriver in accordance with claim 2 wherein said tongue disposed parallel to the axis of said rod-like member has the width thereof tapered, the portion at the free end of said tongue being of a greater width than the portion thereof connected to said rod-like member. 